defection

Definition of defectionnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defection Indeed, Glaser’s defection to WME shocked many inside UTA’s Beverly Hills headquarters, three insiders say. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Cheng insists her defection had nothing to do with sour grapes, but a Damascene realization. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 If James’ defection seems destined to peel casual NBA viewers away from the Lake Show, the subsequent heightened interest for the teams repping the I-95 megalopolis should go a long way toward helping shore up the league’s national deliveries. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 July 2026 South Korea took a soldier from the North into custody after the individual crossed the heavily fortified border this week in what is believed to be a defection, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Wednesday. — CBS News, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for defection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defection
Noun
  • Many members of today’s professional class are apostates, and this apostasy is worth taking seriously as a sign of an economic order that cannot seem to justify itself to its own public-relations arm.
    — Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • When every disagreement with Israeli government policy became, in your telling, the first step toward apostasy?
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Mary Cormier and David Butts, of Scott, were arrested and charged with second-degree cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, the Scott Police Department said in a statement.
    — KC Baker, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This is a melodrama of malicious secrets and manipulative lies that may lead to divorce, desertion and even death.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The book follows this story for the critical eight years between 1527 and 1535, which led to the enduring schism that created the Church of England.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But schisms and heel digging are probably inevitable in such uncertain fields, Catling says.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Such abandonment wounds are deep and destabilizing; the younger the child, the deeper the wound and the harder to form a sense of self and of value as an adult.
    — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Great Logging Off isn’t pointing toward mass smartphone abandonment.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • When the nucleus ultimately disintegrates, these pieces move apart rapidly and the neck snaps quickly, a process known as scission.
    — Charles Q. Choi, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2021
  • The structure is easily broken down in a reaction called scission (like scissors), which tears up the polymer chain.
    — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 5 Aug. 2020
Noun
  • Defense attorney Emily Smith argued the prosecution’s case lacked key evidence, including the murder weapon, and had little to stand on aside from his infidelity.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
  • By the end of Volume I, the court romance has devolved into a series of infidelities, both personal and political, which cause the corruption and destabilization of England’s fledgling democracy.
    — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Lich, who was tried and convicted in connection with the protests and is still under house arrest, has shifted her energies to Alberta separatism.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Pakistan must manage its sizeable Shiite population and its sensitive relationship with Tehran, while Turkey and Iran share concerns over Kurdish separatism despite competing elsewhere in the region.
    — Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • There’s a common misconception that tree roots should always be buried deep underground.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Contrary to common misconceptions, studying for the SHSAT doesn’t have to be expensive.
    — Wai Wah Chin, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Defection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defection. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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